Milwaukee Bucks forward Jared Dudley has a warning for Los Angeles Lakers fans who are dreaming of a Kevin Love signing in the offseason.
Don't count on it, as long as Kobe Bryant is still there.
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"When he wants to, the worst thing about it is he can," Dudley said of Bryant turning to his teammates more often, according to SB Nation. "Remember, Kobe gets in this thing where he doesn't pass and then he overpasses and he's trying to get triple doubles ever night, so we know you have it, it's just not something he wants to do, and that's why I think it'll be a while before the Lakers can get good, because no stars -- I mean, (Kevin) Love -- I'll be surprised if Love wanted to go there."
Dudley went on to say that it's not just Love who would be apprehensive in joining the Black Mamba.
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"If you saw Jordan when he played with the Wizards, he started toning it down a little bit," Dudley said in a radio appearance with ESPN's Colin Cowherd, as reported by ESPN. "He knew he didn't have it. Kobe is the opposite. He wants to show everyone so much. I remember seeing Kobe, I think it was 70 games in [this past season] and he had out-shot the whole Lakers team by like 100 shots. C'mon now. We love you, Kobe, but c'mon. It's, like, it's now time to start giving up. Most guys don't want to play with Kobe."
ESPN corrected Dudley that Bryant, who played in only 35 games, still led the team in shots after 70 games during the season with 713. Carlos Boozer, who had played 31 more games than Bryant to that point, had 703 points.
Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak has heard this talk before and had a response to Sirius XM NBA Radio, as ESPN reported.
"If there is a player out there like that, that won't come here for that reason, then we don't want them," Kupchak told Sirius XM NBA Radio. "Every great player is demanding and focused, and if you don't want to play for a guy like him that's driven to do nothing but win championships and work hard, then you shouldn't be here. You should go someplace else."
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